A £15m cash fund to boost culture and creativity across the North of England has been announced by the government.

According to Culture Secretary Karen Bradley, the fund is aimed at areas that have historically had low levels of cultural and creative investment, and projects could include opening a new tech start-up centre or renovating live music venues. Projects that benefit should increase opportunities for people to experience, benefit and contribute to culture and creativity.

As a sorry indictment of the city's chronic lack of funding and major investment, Bradford's magnificent former Odeon cinema remains abandoned. The Bradford Odeon building could become a one-of-a-kind venue for the city and wider West Yorkshire region – and the catalyst destination Bradford so desperately needs.

Support Bradford Civic Society in urging West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership to make the Bradford Odeon building their #1 priority in attracting an injection of cash from this new government fund, and help bring our Odeon building back to life!